


Old world illness

by Gwilled_cheeze



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout - Fandom, Fallout New Vegas, old world blues - Fandom
Genre: Old World Blues, Other, Sickfic, the sink - Freeform, the think tank
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2018-12-25 19:24:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12042615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gwilled_cheeze/pseuds/Gwilled_cheeze
Summary: The courier catches the common cold and it's up to the members of the think tank to nurse her back to health.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been ill for about three days now and just finished old world blues.

Dr Klein had started at the sound of the door buzzer. It was a harsh, ringing sound that indicated that something, or someone, had entered the think tank building. He was not used to hearing the sound as most lobotomites had never so boldly entered the think tank before. Except for the peculiar case of their current lobotomite, who possessed knowledge and reasoning abilities unlike the others. 

The think tanks current plan was to use the lobotomite to gather important information and devices they needed to defeat dr Mobius. The lobotomite had agreed to help them in exchange for their freedom and had done quick work at retrieving the antenna at the x-2 facility. 

The sound of the buzzer could only indicate that the lobotomite had returned from her latest mission at the x-8 facility. Dr Klein suspected that at any moment the lobotomite would enter through the door to the think tank and present him with the data she retrieved. 

But the lobotomite had not showed. For ten minutes Klein eyed the door, waiting for the lobotomite to come. Usually, when the lobotomite went out, they reported in to the think tank first thing.

The idea that the lobotomite had brushed past them, going straight to the sink instead of meeting with him first, made Klein furious. None of the other members of the think tank seemed to notice the lobotomites absence which only infuriated him more. 

Klein floated down to the lower platform and approached dalas station. Dala had an odd obsession with the lobotomite and all other living organisms she came across, to the point of fetishization. Sometimes the lobotomite would come in and simply breath in front of dala while she scanned them, sonjaculating to their simple biological systems. She also coddled them, calling when her little teddy bear and speaking to them with fondness. If anyone had information on the lobotomite, it would be her. 

"WHERE IS THE LOBOTOMITE? WHY ARE THEY NOT HERE WITH OUR DATA?" Klein had asked dala. 

Dala turned her screens away from the monitors to face him. "I thought you sent the little teddy bear to the x-6 facility for data extraction."

"I DID," Klein said, "BUT THE DOOR BUZZER WENT OFF. THAT MEANS THE LOBOTOMITE IS IN THE BUILDING. SO WHY ARE THEY NOT HERE IN FRONT OF ME PRESENTING THE DATA?"

"Hmmm it is peculiar," Dala responded, "they usually come straight here when they come back."

"I KNOW," Klein signed. 

The other scientists overheard the conversation and looked at each other with perplexity. They all, minus Klein, had the same thought. If the lobotomite didn't show up first thing upon returning, it could mean something is wrong with them. But Klein was convinced it was something else. 

He gave an annoyed grunt as he floated over to the Big MT loud speaker. "THAT LAZY LOBOTOMITE, LETTING BIOLOGY GET IN THE WAY OF SCIENCE. THEY THINK THEY CAN MAKE ME WAIT WHILE THEY REST. WELL, ILL GIVE THEM A PUECE OF MY MIND."

Klein flicked the switch to the speakers, pushing his voice modulator as close to the microphone as possible. 

"LOBOTOMITE," Kleins amplified voice boomed through the speakers, echoing off the chambers of the think tank, "REPORT TO THE THINK TANK AT ONCE WITH THE DATA YOU COLLECTED IMMEDIATELY. DONT KEEP ME WAITING."

Klein returned to his station and stood eyeing the door, waiting for the lobotomite. The other scientists did the same, wondering with slight concern about them. 

After a few minutes (Klein getting more pissed off with every passing second) the door to the think tank opened and the courier turned lobotomite shuffled in. 

The scientists were shocked at her appearance. Her face was flushed and moist with sweat and tears. One of her eyes was inflamed and had swollen shut. She looked haggard and ghastly, walking in a swaying motion in attempt to keep herself from falling over. 

Klein was blind to her condition, rushing down to the lowest platform to meet the lobotomite. 

He approached so suddenly that the courier had started a little and almost fell over. Klein shoved his screens into the lobotomites face, the volume on his voice module rising as he furiously questioned her. 

"WELL, LOOK WHO DECIDED TO SHOW UP." The courier flinched at the harsh tone of his voice, curling in on themselves. "WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG? WHY DID YOU NOT REPORT IN FIRST THING WITH THE DATA YOU RETRIEVED?" 

The lobotomite began to speak but was cut off by Klein. "DO YOU THINK THIS IS SOME SORT OF GAME. WHEN I SEND YOU OUT TO GET SOMETHING YOU GO GET IT AND BRING IT BACK. ITS BAD ENOUGH YOU SPEND TIME LOLLYGAGGING AROUND THE CRATER, PUTTING YOUR FILTHY PENISES ON EVERYTHING, EVEN THOUGH WE TOLD YOU NOT TOO."

The courier began to back away from Klein but he responded by moving forward in turn. "I DONT HAVE TIME TO WAIT ON YOU. NEXT TIME WE SEND YOU TO GET SOMETHING YOU COME BACK HER IMMEDIATELY, GOT IT?" 

Klein finished his lecture by jumping suddenly at the lobotomite, causing them to stubble backwards and fall to the floor. 

When the lobotomite did not get up and respond, the think tanks rushed over to where she lay. Klein took a closer look at her, noticing her gauntly appearance. 

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE LOBOTOMITE?" He asked, his voice still loud but no longer mad. 

Dala prodded the courier, only getting a low groan in response, their voice sounding hoarse and raw. 

"Hmmm, it appears as though the lobotomite is suffering from some sort of illness. Look at the skin, so flushed and warm. The ragged breathing, signs of mucus congestion." Her voice was breathy and held a tone of more than fascination. "Yes, the lobotomite is quite ill."

"ILL!?" Klein shrieked, "YOU MEAN ITS INFECTED WITH SOME SORT OF DISEASE." Klein backed away sharply from where the scientists stood around the lobotomite. "GET IT OUT OF HERE. GET IT OUT BEFORE IT STARTS BREATHING ITS GERMS ON EVERYTHING AND CONTAMINATES THE BUILDING."

Dr borous began to examine the lobotomite himself. "what kind of HORRID DISEASE could the lobotomite have contracted? RABIES, LEPROSY, or some kind of FLESH EATING bacteria, slowly eating it from the inside out." 

"Uh, I dunno about that," dr 0 had chimed in," Looks more like a cold to me. A really bad one."

Dr 8 gave a garbled response of agreement. 

"WELL WHAT EVER IT HAS, GET RID OF IT." Klein said, standing far away from the lobotomite as possible. "I DONT WANT ANY BACTERIA NEAR THE THINK TANK. THROW THE LOBOTOMITE OUT."

The courier curled in on herself at the sound of the Kleins voice. She hadn't expected him to completely lose his shit and yell at her for not showing up. She had seen the symptoms of her oncoming cold for two days and tried to power through it. But people in the wasteland often have poor immunity and the cold hit her like a bag of bricks. She stumbled back to the sink with the intention of getting treatment and rest when Klein ordered her to the think tank. 

The spill she took had forced the air from her lungs and fresh tears to spill down her face. She could barely hear Klein and the others over the loud ringing in her ears and the throbbing of her temples. 

8 had said something to Klein, incomprehensible to her but understandable to the think tank. 

"NO," Klein responded to 8 with authority and disgust in his tone, "WE ARE NOT TAKING CARE OF THE LOBOTOMITE."

" but dr Klein," Dala intercepted, " the lobotomite is in no condition to be out in Big MT. Throwing her out might have dire consequences."

"Yeah," said 0, "we kind of need them alive and healthy in order to gather stuff for us."

Dr 8 gave an incomprehensible noise of agreement. 

"So unless you want to scrounge around the crater, we need the lobotomite to get better."

Klein gave a noise of frustration. "FINE. WE'LL HEAL THE LOBOTOMITE. BUT IM NOT TOUCHING THEM. DALA, BOROUS, YOU TWO CARRY THEM UP TO THR SINKS AUTO-DOC."

Borous made a sign of protest but was quickly put down by Klein. He and dala very carefully rolled the lobotomite on their back and lifted them up under the arms. The movement caused a violent coughing fit from the courier and she passed out as they were carrying her to the elevator.


	2. Chapter 2

The courier was still unconscious when dr Dala and dr Borous stuffed her into the sink's auto-doc. 

"AUTO-DOC," dr Klein was speaking to the machine, still standing as far as he could from the courier in the now cramped room of the sink, "THE LOBOTOMITE HAS BEEN CONTAMINATED WITH SOME SORT OF COLDNESS INFECTION. WE NEED YOU TO FIX THEM."

"Yeah I know she has a cold," the auto-doc responded, "she came to me yesterday when she started showing symptoms."

"SO WHY HAVEN'T YOU CURED THEM YET? WITH THE LOBOTOMITE ILL THEY CANT COLLECT THE TECHNOLOGY WE NEED."

"There's no cure for the common cold, genius," the auto-doc said, "she'll just have to ride it out."

Klein made a noise of frustration. "SO HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THIS COLDNESS DISEASE IS FLUSHED FROM THEIR SYSTEM?"

"Well," the auto-doc began," a cold usually lasts a few days, give or take. It seems as though it's reached its peak today, she should started getting better within the next day or so. She'll need some medicine to help manage the symptoms, I think she was trying to order some when you called her out."

The door on the auto-doc swung open. The courier wobbled trying to remain upright, awake now but still very lightheaded. Dala and Borous had to quickly grab and support her before she fell out. 

"Th-thank you," she coughed out, "could you move me to my bed please?" Her voice came out hoarse, her vocal cords strained and aching. Dala and Borous lead her to the former bed of dr Mobius and gently laid her down. The other think tanks followed, gathering around the bed in concern for the lobotomite as Klein stood in the doorway. 

For awhile the think tanks nearly stood around the courier, unsure with how to care for a living thing suffering an illness. All eyes evidently turned to Dala. 

"It seems to me," dala began, "that the only thing we can do at the present moment is to alleviate the lobotomites symptoms, make them more...comfortable. Dr Klein, the auto-doc mentioned that the lobotomite had previously tried to acquire medication. Could you see if the sinks central intelligence unit has anything that would help the lobotomite?"

Klein signed. "FINE. BUT IM NOT ADMINISTERING ANY OINTMENTS OR SUPPOSITORIES. YOURE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT." 

"Don't worry little teddy bear," dala said to the courier as Klein left the room," soon what ails you will be gone. But in the meantime, please feel free to vocalize your infirmity." Dala pushed her screens close to the couriers face. "Allow me to scan you and fully take in your...predicament." 

"Ah, come on dala, no need to be weird about it," 0 said, "just let em rest for a little bit."

Dr 8 turned and conveyed something to 0. 

The courier poked their head up at the sound of 8s voice. "Hey wait a minute," the said, motioning for 8 to come over to them. 8 approached het, leaning his screens close to her face in curiosity. 

"Your voice," she she said, astonished, " I can hear a rhythm sequence in it."

8 made a noise of surprise, one that the courier could now understand. 

"Yes, yes I can. 8 I can understand you." She giggled as 8 made an exclamation of joy at her discovery. The courier than looked at her pip-boy and then back to 8. 

"Say..." she began, "your transmitting on a robco frequency using a termalink code. Doesn't that mean you could be hacked?"

8 shot back in horror bad exclaimed fearfully that he did not wish to be hacked. 

"Oh, no no no, 8, I'm not going to take advantage of your exposed code." 

8 gave a noise of gratitude. 

"What I was saying was if we could translate the termalink code, we might be able to fix your voice modulator."

8 gave a noise of surprise, indicating that the idea was good and he would have to work on that later. But first. 

Dr 8 presented the courier with an array of magazines he had, intending to let the courier read them while they got better. The courier lifted herself onto one elbow, shakily, and took the magazines from him, muttering out thanks as she gently lowered herself back down. 

She flipped the page of a !la fantoma! open and squinted at the words, her face contorted and straining with effort to simply read the page. Her eyes glided over the comic, not really taking the words and pictures. Eventually she set the comic aside and shut her eyes. 

"I'm sorry, 8," she croaked out, "It's a little difficult to read right now."  
She ended her sentence with an uncontrollable coughing fit. 

"Not to WORRY, lobotomite," dr Borous spoke up, moving in front of dr 8 and taking the comic from the bed, "I will read TO YOU."

The courier giggled slightly. She always thought Borous had the kind of voice that would be perfect for narration. In fact, he sort of talked like those old pre-war feature films. She loved the way his voice sounded so dramatic while he read, putting so much emphasis and emotion into the characters, the setting. It was calm and relaxing, simply hearing him speak. The courier closed her eyes and just listened, taking in his voice. Occasionally he would look up to see if she had fallen asleep and she would open one eye and nod her head, prompting him to continue reading. 

Dala had decided to save the scanning for later, instead she gathered up a wastebasket and a box of tissues for the lobotomite. A thought occurred to her and she excused herself, leaving the sink. Dr 8 meanwhile had left the room and was fiddling around with the broken jukebox. 

Klein returned with the medication (some solidified healing powder tablets and some pre-war cough drops) just as Borous finished the comic. 

"DR 8," Klein said, spotting the think tank at the jukebox," YOU BETTER NOT BE SONJACULATING INTO THAT THING."

8 gave a noise of protest as he flipped a switch on the inside of the jukebox, causing it to play music again. Satisfied, 8 closed up the jukebox and made his way back to the courier, brushing past Klein, who still had no intention of entering the room. 

"Oh look at that, 8 got that old jukebox all fixed up for you," said 0. 

"Thank you dr 8," the courier told him. 

Dr 8 gave an incomprehensible address, expressing his gratitude and delight at the lobotomites appreciation. 

Dr Dala returned, also brushing past Klein (much to his frustration) and presented a gift to the courier.  
"Here you are my little lobotomite," she said, placing a stuffed teddy beside them, "a teddy bear for my teddy bear."

The courier grabbed the stuffed bear, snuggling it, and thanked Dala. 

"Oh," the courier croaked out," I almost forgot something. I have something for you Borous." 

She pointed to her pack which lied across the room on top of a large, metal trunk. Borous grabbed the bag and placed it down in front of the courier, who was struggling to sit and had to helped by dala. The courier opened the pack and lazily dug around in it, eventually pulling out a large, metal bowl that said GABE on the side. 

"I found this in Higgs village right before going to the x-8 facility," she said, handing the bowl to dr Borous. 

"Why this is gabe's bowl," said Borous, taking the bowl and turning it over to examine it, "I used to leave it outside his doghouse, chock-full of chems. Before the cybernetic modifications of course."

Borous giggled slightly to himself and stared at the big green letters on the side.  
"And...no matter how chemmed the food, he would always eat it." His voice had started to sound confused and hurt. "And his tail would wag...even...even while I...i-"

He stood silent for a moment. The courier watched him with knowing eyes, fully understanding what was happening. 

"You know," Borous began, his voice wavering a little, "I am having the most perplexing feeling squiggling through my biogel. I can't quite pin it down..."

"It sounds like Gabe really loved you," the courier told him. Borous looked up at them and met their eyes, his screens going fuzzy with static. 

"Why...yes. Gabe-" he gave a forced but pained laugh. "No matter how awful my day had been, he...he was always waiting there."  
Borous began to "breathe" heavily. "How odd. My gel is de-coagulating." 

He looked back at the dog bowl, Gabes bowl, his screens tilting sideways in a remorseful expression. 

"And when I would talk him about Betsy-and how Marcus would beat in me and call me Smarty Sissy Pants, he'd just sit there, head on my knee. And..." his voice trailed off. 

He looked up and met the couriers eyes. "I...I feel as though I've done something...terrible. And I don't know why it didn't hit me before, until I saw this memory before me."

The courier gently placed a have on top of one of his screens, an odd gesture that felt strangle familiar and pleasant. The leaned his screen lightly more into the touch before continuing. "This emotional sensation, I don't care for it. I don't care for this place, either. And...I feel...as if we've forgotten something." 

"That's ok, Borous," the courier said, gently rubbing his monitor, "sometimes it takes us awhile to remember things."

Borous did not respond back. The others did not respond at all. They had stood back and watched this scene unfurl before them. Seeing it made them feel odd. They were strangely moved by Borous' story. And They also felt as if they had forgotten something themselves. Something important.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! The next chapter should be the last!

Dr Klein cleared his non existent throat to gain everyone's attention. The sudden shift in mood had made him uncomfortable in a way he didn't (and didn't want to) fully understand. 

An array of monitors all turned to look in his direction, their eyes fuzzy and curious. 

"HERE," he said, tossing the medicine at Dala, so he would not have to go into the room, "THIS WAS ALL THE MEDICINE THE SINK COULD FIND."

"Thank you dr Klein," dala said, taking the medicine and laying aside two tablets for the courier.  
Her voice sounded more distant and aloof. "Dr 0, could you grab something for the lobotomite to swallow the pills down with?"

"Sure," 0 agreed. 

As 0 headed towards the kitchen he noticed that dr Klein had moved away from him, the same way he did to lobotomite when he learned of their illness. 

"Is something bothering you Klein?" 0 inquired, "you've been acting more like a dick usual."

"EXCUSE ME!?," Klein started, "I DON'T KNOW IF THE LOBOTOMITE TAUGHT YOU SUCH VULGARITY BUT I WOULD ADVISE YOU NOT TO AIM IT TOWARDS ME." 

Klein made a step forward to emphasize the authority in his words before quickly backing away. 

"BESIDES, I DON'T WANT ANY OF YOU COMING NEAR ME AFTER YOU ALL HAVE BEEN TOUCHING THE LOBOTOMITE, LETTING IT EXCRETE ITS GERMS ALL OVER YOUR SCREENS. AFTER THIS, EVERYONE IS BEING DECONTAMINATED, ESPECIALLY DALA."  
He ended this statement by glaring in dalas direction, watching her as she touched and prodded at the lying figure. 

"UGGGH, DISGUSTING!" Kleins screen curled inwards and shook in fury. He then directed his attention back to 0, who was just standing there and watching him. 

"WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING HERE?! AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE DOING SOMETHING?"

"Alright, alright I'm going," said 0 as he left Klein to stand in the corner and gaze towards the lobotomites room. 

The small apartment they rented to the lobotomite wasn't the most comfortable living space, but it provided all necessary resources for a living creature. And it seems that the lobotomite had made many improvements to their temporary home, one of them being the installation of all the sinks ai chips. 

Doctor 0 had to give her credit, she was resourceful and almost always achieved whatever she set for. Tracking down all those chips couldn't have been easy but the result gave the sink the feel of a small community, bumbling with life and energy. 

Throughout the sink there could be heard a murmur of voices expressing concern and lament. Unable to move, the devices in the sink whispered to each other about the lobotomite and the think tanks. 

As doctor 0 entered the kitchen he could overhear three voices, one of them spoke louder than the others and held a tone of anger as it spoke about the think tanks, especially....

"Well look who it is, dr O." Doctor 0 was greeted by a miniature securitron upon entering. Muggy emphasized the 'Oh' sound, knowing how much it angered the doctor. 

"I remember you," said 0, tilting his screens to look down at the small parody of robco he had made out of spite for Robert House. 

"What are you doing up here?" Muggy asked him. 

"The other think tanks and I are trying to take care of the lobotomite-"

"Oh, the lobotomite," muggy interrupted, "you mean that girl you also tortured out of 'scientific pursuit'. To try and prove that you-"

An argument had insinuated between the two. Their screens to each other, 0 and muggy lashed at one another with insults and accusations, drowning out the noise of everything else in the entire sink. 

Klein poked his screens into the kitchen. "I CAN HEAR YOUR SHOUTING FROM OUT HERE AND ITS INSUFFERABLY ANNOYING," Klein lectured them, "ITS ALSO BOTHERING THE LOBOTOMITE TO A LESSER DEGREE. SO SHUT UP AND GET THE LOBOTOMITE A DRINK BEFORE I TAMPER WITH YOUR VOICE MODULATOR FOR A CHANGE." 

An awkward silence filled the kitchen as dr Klein left. Muggy muttered a few choice words about Klein as well as the rest of the think tank while he started working around the kitchen. He set a kettle of water on the hot plate and set aside a clean mug to make tea, telling 0 not to touch anything least he break it like everything else he put his hands on. 

Doctor 0 reluctantly stood back from the kitchen. He watched as muggy collected flowers from various soil trays around the room that were filled with a variety of flora, he could only assume the lobotomite had planted there. 

The silence that had permeated through the sink after the shouting had stopped had once again started up. Muggy and the other ai in the kitchen has resumed their chatter, only this time a little more hushed.  
0 could faintly hear the voices of the other think tanks fretting over the condition of the lobotomite and the quite hum of many electronic devices. 

The hum was shattered by a sharp whistling from the tea kettle as billows of steam shot from its spout. Muggy rushed over to pour the water into the mug and steep the tea. He than handed the cup to doctor 0. 

"Here," he said as he carefully handed the mug over to 0, "its liliths favorite."

"Lilith?" 0 asked, "who's Lilith?"

"Uh Lilith, ya know, 'the lobotomite'", muggys voice held a tone of confusion. "What, did you suddenly forget her name?"

"No," 0 protested, "of course I didn't forget her name. I just...uh.."

"Oh my god you don't even know her name?" Muggy asked, astonished, "you didn't even bother to fucking ask, did you?"

"I-I..." 0 stuttered, suddenly uncomfortable by the muggys questioning," ...I..ok no, I didn't know what their name was. It..uh...didn't seem very..."

"Didn't seem very important?" Muggy finished the statement for him. "Didn't seem important to know who she was since she was just a tool, another thing for you all to use for your science and experiments before throwing them away like garbage."

Doctor 0 was stunned in silence. Muggys words had...shocked him, affecting him very oddly. The statement cut deep in an almost abstract way that a part of him was in denial about. 

0s screens tilted in confusion as he stared at muggy, his screens fuzzy with static. The tiny robot gave a noise of frustration before turning around and busying himself in the kitchen, mumbling about how 'none of you ever fucking cared anyway'.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ITS FINALLY DONE

0 looked down into the mug. The steam from the hot beverage wafting onto his screens, making them foggy and slick with condensation. He didn't know why he felt bad or why he felt like he deserved to feel bad. Ever since the lobotomite had shown up things had been strangely different around big mountain. The creatures curiosity and unnaturally adequate intelligence for something that had its brain removed had sparked the minds of the think tank in such a way as to make them question aspects of themselves, something that had not happened in a long time. 

As he screens grew fuzzy with static and water he came upon an odd realization that stirred up very old memories. He could not feel the heat of the steam, the moisture of the water. He could sense it, he could tell it was there, but the physical sensation was lost. 0 could remember heat, faintly, and he could remember the feel of other things too.  
And for the first time, in long time, the absence of physical sensation felt wrong.  
A lot of things started to feel wrong. 

"DOCTOR 0, HAVE YOU GOT THE DRINK YET?" Doctor Kleins booming voice snapped 0 out of his stupor. 

"Uhhh...yeah...yeah yeah I've got it," 0 studdered, trying to force himself back into normal behavior. He turned to rush out of the door and slammed into the doorframe, the fog on his screens having blinded him. The mug fell from 0s grasp and shattered on the floor. 

0 stumbled to remain balance as he was bombarded with two sets of yelling voices. On one side he had muggy screaming about the broken mug and at 0s incompetence, on the other was doctor Klein yelling at 0s stupidity while throwing a towelette at him. 0 stood aside as muggy cleaned and prepared a second cup of tea. 

"HONESTLY, THE AMOUNT OF THINGS YOU BREAK AROUND HERE...HOW IS IT THAT YOU CANNOT EVEN PERFORM EVEN SIMPLE MOVEMENTS OF BALANCE? I MEAN REALLY, THE LOBOTOMITE IS BETTER SUITED-"

"Ya know what Klein?" Doctor 0 cut off Kleins rant as muggy handed him a fresh cup of tea, "go fuck yourself."

0 quickly left the kitchen, leaving Klein fuming with rage. 

The hushed sounds of whispers amongst the ai in the sink grew as he made his way toward the bedroom. 

Already 0 could tell something was wrong. The other think tanks were circled around the lobotomite, asking her questions. Each of their screens were fuzzy with static and their voice modulators sounded strained. Borous looked the worse of them all; he stood close to the lobotomite, clutching the plastic dog bowl to himself and weeping as the lobotomite caressed his monitors. 

At the sight of 0 entering the bedroom, the other think tanks grew silent. Each made a half-hearted excuse and quickly left. Leaving 0 alone with the lobotomite. 

"I-uh...brought you a drink," 0 said, carefully handing the mug to the lobotomite, "Its...I made your favorite. Yep. Made you your favorite tea to drink..."

"Thank you 0, that's very sweet of you," the lobotomite croaked out. 

"Yeah, well I thought since you being sick and all...I..uh...ok, well actually muggy made the tea- but I was the one who brought it too you, so that counts for something right?" 0 started. 

"Y-yes," the lobotomite answered, meekly sipping the tea. 

0 hovered in silence as he watched her drink. He'd never been one to closely study the lobotomites, especially not as throughly as dala, but he couldn't help but become enraptured with her. He followed her hand as it raised the cup to her mouth and then watched her throat gently pulsate as it swallowed. So simple and biological the actions were, but oh, how familiar they were too. It felt like something was missing, like he was somehow...incomplete. 

Watching her he could almost remember the sensation of being able to swallow, to eat and drink, to taste. The nostalgia of it was uncomfortable and deeply disturbing. But a part of him ached to fully remember, to feel again. 

The lobotomites fingers snapped in front of his monitors, drawing him out of his stupor. Had he just been staring at her this whole time? 

"Something's on your mind," the lobotomite stated. 

"Uhhhh...yeah a..a dome," 0 tried to swerve the mood into something else but failed miserably. The lobotomite gave him a concerning glare that caused him to cave in. 

"I...I feel...like something's very very wrong. With me. With everything," 0 began to outpour, voice modulator starting to crackle and glitch with stress, "I mean...things were fine before...but now..." 

0 was struggling to convey his thoughts into words. His biogel felt sluggish and liquidated, he could barely see past the static that formed over his screens. He was stuttering with confusion and fear and panic. 

The lobotomite carefully brought a hand over the top of his eye screen and gently caressed him. He couldn't feel it, but he wanted to. So very, very badly. 

"Lobotomite....Lilith...I...miss being human. I miss feeling things. I...can't remember what it's like. And...I feel as though...I've forgot something else...something...I-I..."

Lilith hushed him. "It's ok 0, listen we have a lot to talk about when I get better. There's things I need to show you guys, things I need to tell you," she gently brushed her fingers over the metal beams supporting his monitors, "I promise things will start becoming clearer."

"I hope so," 0 drew back from her. "But first, you need to rest." 

Lilith lowered herself back down and snuggled up to the teddy bear that dala had given to her. 0 watched the wave of relief that washed over her face as she became comfortable. Her breathing eased out quickly, having been exhausted trying to explain things to the other think tanks while managing a cold. 

0 carefully leaned his mouth monitor over her and gently pressed it to her head, the gesture reminiscent of something from long ago. 

"Get well soon, Lilith," he said. 

\-----------------------------------

 

Klein was still pissed. If there was anything he hated more than being wrong, it was being disrespected. And it was all because of the lobotomite. Ever since she showed up, all the other think tanks have been acting strange, rebellious even. Well, he'd give her a strong talking too, as soon as she was no longer contaminated of course. No way he was going near her or the others until this stupid coldness passed. 

Klein watched in perplexity as three of the think tanks exited the lobotomites room, each of them looking more than a little worse for wear. Especially Borous, he stood at the back of the little group clutching some sort of...plastic dish and was...coughing? Hiccuping? Crying? 

"WHAT THE HELL HAS GOTTEN INTO ALL OF YOU," Klein began but was cut off by the sinks central intelligence unit. 

"Excuse me sir, package delivery for miss Lilith," the unit said, presenting a small box

"IN THE NAME OF OPPENHEIMER, WHO IS THIS-LILITH PERSON NOW!?" Klein quickly snatched the package and examined it. 

It was a box of grape mentats with a note on the front that said-

'To Lilith,  
get well soon.  
\- Doctor Mobius.'


End file.
